The Second Confesion

Another-” “Damn it, you're engaged on this case!” “I am not. The job you hired me for is ended, and I'm glad of it. You remember how I defined the objective? It has been reached-though not, I confess, by my-” “Then I hire you for another job now. To investigate Rony's death.” Wolfe frowned at him. “You'd better not. I advise against it.” “You're hired.” Wolfe shook his head. “You're in a panic and you're being impetuous. If Mr Rony was murdered, and if I undertake to look into it, I'll get the murderer. It's conceivable that you'll regret you ever saw me.” “But you're hired.” Wolfe shrugged. “I know. Your immediate problem is to keep me from repeating that conversation to the police, and, being pugnacious and self-assured, you solve your problems as they come. But you can't hire me today and fire me tomorrow. You know what I would do if you tried that.” “I know. You won't be fired. You're hired.” Sperling arose. “I'll phone the police.” “Wait a minute!” Wolfe was exasperated. “Confound it, are you a dunce? Don't you know how ticklish this is? There were seven of us in that conversation- “We'll attend to that after I've phoned.” “No, we won't. I'll attend to it now.” Wolfe's eyes darted around. “All of you, please. Miss Sperling?” Gwenn was face down on the bed and Madeline was seated on the edge.

“Do you have to bark at her now?” Madeline demanded.

“I'll try not to bark. But I do have to speak to her-all of you.” Gwenn was sitting up. “I'm all right,” she said. “I heard every word. Dad hired you again, to-oh, my God.” She hadn't been crying, which was a blessing since it would have demoralized Wolfe, but she looked fairly ragged. “Go ahead,” she said.

“You know,” Wolfe told them curtly, “what the situation is. I must first have a straight answer to this: have any of you repeated the conversation we had in the library, or any part of it, to anyone?” They all said no.

“This is important. You're sure?” “Connie was-” Jimmy had to clear his throat. “Connie was asking questions. She was curious.” He looked unhappy.

“What did you tell her?” “Oh, just-nothing much.” “Damn it, how much?” Sperling demanded.

“Not anything, Dad, really. I guess I mentioned Louis-but nothing about X and all that tosh.” “You should have had more sense.” Sperling looked at Wolfe. “Shall I get her?” Wolfe shook his head. “By no means. We'll have to risk it. That was all? None of you has reported that conversation?” They said no again.